Pencil-vending machine



Dec. 7 1926. 1,609,552 v T. J. JONES PENCIL VENDING MACHINE Filed July 23, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORL A TTORNE Y.

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Dec. 7 1926.

T. J. JONES PENCIL VENDING MACHINE Filed July 23, 2 Sheets-Sheet WJW IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

FUNITED STATES 1,609,552 PATENT OFFICE- THOMAS JONES,' OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

PENCIL -VE1 TDING MACHINE.

Application filed July 23,

. durable nature, yet are so arranged as to enable minute adjustments to be made therein in order that the insertion of spurious coins or slugs will have no effect upon the mechanism. I

A further important object of the invention aims to provide as an improvement over previous machines of this character certain facilities by which the pencils contained therein are constantly maintained in a horizontal posit-ion and are not permitted to jam, and consequently hinder the delivery of a pencil when the proper coin is deposited.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the invention has particular reference to its salient features' of construction and arrangement of parts, by which the said objects are attained, and which will be enumerated and manifested in the following detail description and illustrated in the appended drawings, wherein, Y

' Figure 1 is a direct front elevation of a machine constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is the same machine reduced in size and in operative position.

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevational view on lines 33 of Figure l, depicting the coin receiving and actuating mechanism.

, Figure 4 is a similar view in which the cover plate of the coin receiving chute has been removed to more clearly show the associated parts. 1

Figure 5 is an enlarged view showing relative position of parts when ejecting a,

pencil, and

Figure 6 is a detail view of the coin moving parts.

Proceedlng now more in detail with the drawings, in. which similar characters" of reference are used, 1 denotes the outer casing of the machine, having a cover 2 hinged at a and enclosing its front. The machine ready for operationis disclosed clearly in Figure 2.

1926. Serial No. 124,363.

A skeleton partition 3 is provided in the machine, being fixed at b, continuing downward a short distance, as clearly illustrated in Figures 3 to 5, and directed rearwardly on an angular plane to define a compartment 4, and turned abruptly downward to obtain a passage between the partition and the rear wall'of the machine. Within thiscompartment a supply of pencils 5 is maintained, and are constantly gravitated toward the rear of the machine by the inclined n position of the shelf 6 formed by the angular disposition of the partition ,3.

A plate 7 is pivoted at either side'to a pair of ears 8 depending from the'inclined shelf 6, and is arranged, at each operation 1 of the machine, to be pivoted upwardly as illustrated in Figure 5, to agitate the pen oils, and to insure their proper distribution into the passage intermediate the partition 3 and rear wall of the casing as shown. This plate however, due to the actionof the coil spring 9 is held normally at the position shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, its operation will become more clear presently, as the description proceeds.

As particularly apparent in Figure 1, an operating handle 10 is located at a con venient position at the side of the casing 1, upon preferably a squared shaft 11. This shaft continues through a projecting bracket to engage and lift the volume of pencils resting upon the shelf 6,

The shaft 11 likewise carries a curved finger 16, which, upon each depression of the handle 10, is carried downward in the space between the bracket 12 and a cover 17 aflixed thereto, the latter being individually illustrated in Figure 6, and is spaced apart from the bracket by a strip 18, near the front of the machine. 7 7

Depending freely from a pivot 19, intermediate the bracket 12, and cover plate 17 is an arm 20, the lower end of which, as particularly apparent in Figures 1 to 5 swings within a slot 21 extending from c to d in the shelf 22 below the bracket 12, and on which the latter rests. This shelf is likewise connected to the lower end as is a curved receptacle 23 for the reception oi coins.

The shelf 22 is punched at points spaced troin its either end to afford projections Z-l to which is pivoted a pair of curved fingers 25. These fingers are arranged to co-aet with a rocker plate 26, pivoted at its ends at f'to the sides of the container 1. Since thespring 9 nreviously referred to is connected both to the agitator plate 7. and to the rocker plate 26 co-operatingactionbetween these members is likewise obtained. but not until an interlocking); medium such as a coin, is inserted into themachine.

It will'be observed that the rear wall of the machine is gradually curved inwardly at the base and to which the curved strips 27 are affixed todefinea chute for reception of'ejected pencils.

In describing the operation of the machine and referring to some minorpz-irts not mentioned previously, the pencils 5 are placed on the inclined shclt (i. and upon trippii a the handle 10, the agitator plate 7 is ji led to assemble the pencils in relative r ngritudinal position in the passage intermediate the partition Sand rear wall of the casing; the vertical ribs 28 restraining the pencils againstdisplacement. Then in this position the pencils are supported upon the fingers protruding from the rocker plate 38., The cover 2 is closed and locked at 30 and the machine is ready toroperation.

it willhe'ohf ,rved. that when the cover 2 is closed. the coin slot 31 therein. see Flt); ure 2. is not directiv in {lllllQfl'Hilt with the coin chute intermediate the bracket 12 and cover plate 17. in which the coin falls. This arrangement affords a measure of precaution against the ii sertion oi a ire or other foreign object to trip the mechanism. The cover plate 17. it will he noted is supplied \Yitll a wing: grains; which the coin falls when inserted in the slotlil. to guide the latter into the chute. The coin isindicated by the character 33 '1 Figures 4 and and in the former figure is shown the position assumed by the coin immediately upon heing inserted into the chute. resting jointly upon the swinging arm and spacer 18..

Now. upon forcing: down the handle 10. the curved finger 16 travels downward and engages the coinon its edge. the result being that the lower end of the swinging arm 20 is moved inward to a position where it engages the rocker plate 26 at 34:. see Figure 5. 'iivoting this member as illustrated in 'Fi e ure 5 to cause the integral'fingers 29. to move forward-from beneath the column of pencils.

Simultaneous with'this movemenh the small spring connected to the curved fingers 525 forces; thelatter.inward, and through pos itive adjustments, the ends of these fingers engage beneath the column of pencils and allow the ejection of only a single pencil. See Figure These fingers are mounted independently of the rocker date 26 but are held normally under tension ot spring merely by impinging the plate at a point near their pivots at 24-.

Upon completing the ejecting operation, thespring 9 returns the rocker plate 26 to its original position shown in Figure 3, and in so doing. the bottom of the latter impinges the lower parts of the fingers overcomingthe tension of the spring 2-35 to such an extent as to urge the fingers back to normal positionaalso shown in Figure 33.

A nirticularly important (feature of the invention resides in its -a Jah ility of .being adjusted to overcome the action of counterfeit and spurious coins. rln=thisregard, the spacing strip 18 may be increased ordeercased in width according to the thickness ot the coin proposed to operate the machine and further, the swinging arm 20 may .be reduced or increased in width to gauge its swing according to the diameterof the proper coin. These adjustments may be et such positive nature as to require thata suhsti tuted coin be precisely the same in dimensions as the proper coin before operation of the machine is insured.

It is ohvious -that some vacation is possible in themaehine asdescribed in the toregoing, and it should be understood that: it is .not desired that the invention he limited to thespeeifio disclosure set forth audthat these mentioned variations may be resorted {c.provided the: same donot depart tromthe snirit or scope of the appended claims.

I claim: v

1. In a check controlled apparatus a casing having an inclined merchandise support tllQ1'lIl,tlI1 operating handle and shaft; a checlechute;acurved fingercarried by said shaft, and arranged to move in said chute, an arm pivoted also in said chute; anagitator plate controllable by said operating handle; a merchandise releasing means; means for receiving and holding a check within said chute preparatory to its engagementbysaid curved finger whensaidhandle is operated, said check andcheck holding means to cause pivotal movement of said merchandise releasing means, and means cooperable with said merchandise releasing means to retain said merchandise during ejecting operation of said releasing means.

2. Ina check controlled vending apparatus, a easinghaving an inclined merchandise support tl1erein,. an agitator plate having pivotal .movement with respect to saidsupport, a merchandisereleasing meansjhaving a common tensioning means-with said agitator plate, a check receiving chute; a shaft extending through said chute, a curved finger carried by said shaft; a pivoted arm depending below said curved finger; means operation of said releasing means.

3. In a check controlled vending apparatus; a casing having an inclined merchandlse support therein; an agitator plate having pivotal movement with respect to said support; a check receiving chute; a rotatable shaft extending through said chute and having operable engagement with said agitator plate; a curved finger carried by said shaft; a merchandise releasing member having a joint tensioning means with said agitator plate; a pivoted arminounted within said check receiving chute, and arranged for engagement with said merchandise releasing member; means to hold a check in a position to be urged against said pivoted arm by said curved finger when said shaft is rotated, to effect movement of said releasing member, and means to hold said merchandise in check during operation of said releasing member.

4. In a check controlled vending machine; a casing having a merchandise support therein; a merchandise agitating plate movably mounted with respect to said support; a check receiving chute; a rotatable shaft extending through said chute and operatively connected With said agitator plate; a merchandise releasing member having joint tensioning means with said agitator plate; a pivoted arm depending within said chute and arranged for swinging engagement with said merchandise releasing member; means carried by said shaft to urge an interlockingcheck against said depending arm to trip said merchandise releasing member; and means to hold said merchandise in check during actuation of said releasing member.

5. In a check controlled vending apparatus; a casing, a merchandise receptacle within said casing an agitating member, a check chute, a rotatable shaft extending through the side of said casing and having operable engagement with said agitating member; a check engaging finger carried by said shaft; a merchandise releasing member; means for holding said member normally beneath said merchandise; means depending Within said chute to engage and trip said merchandise releasing means when a check is urged thereagainst by rotation of said shaft and check engaging finger, and means co-operable with said merchandise releasing member to retain said merchandise during operation of saidmerchandise releasing member.

6. A check controlled vending apparatus; a check chute; an agitating member; a'shaft carrying an operating handle and having operable connection with said agitating member; a merchandise releasing plate having spring engagment with said agitating member; a pivoted arm depending within said check chute; means carried by said shaft to urge a check deposited in said chute against said depending arm to trip said merchandise releasing plate, and means cooperable with said plate to suspend said merchandise during operation of said releasing plate. I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THOMAS J. JONES 

